Getting the most from your ISA meeting
Updated 16 March 2026
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Companies requesting Integrated Scientific Advice will have a meeting with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and听National Institute for Health and Care Excellence听(NICE). This the chance to present the project and get answers to specific questions.
Meetings听are听planned for up to听2听hours.听听听
Preparing for the meeting
听The听company presentation should be concise. You will need to discuss all agenda items and questions in the briefing book听within the听allocated听time.
Providing background information
You will have up to 20 minutes at the start of the advice meeting to present background information on the technology (typically 4 slides). This is limited to:鈥�
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the claimed听indication
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the value proposition
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the status of development
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the proposed position in the NHS treatment pathway
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a听short summary听of company鈥檚 development plans
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any significant updates since the briefing book was produced
Provide a table of the relevant studies
You should present the studies that are the subject of the scientific advice in a table听summarising their main aspects, including:鈥�
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overall design
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population and sample size
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comparators
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primary and secondary endpoints
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quality-of-life measures
Detail changes since the briefing book
If relevant, include slides highlighting any changes to the development programme since the briefing book was produced. This section should typically be 4 slides.鈥���
Focus the main presentation on questions and issues
The rest of the presentation should focus on the questions included in the briefing book with a summary of the company鈥檚 position (1 to 2 slides per question).听
When factoring in NICE and the MHRA鈥檚 list of issues, it is helpful to听consolidate听the responses to the issues under relevant headings such as population, comparators,听endpoints听and听health economic modelling.听
If patient experts are involved, the company is encouraged to present 1 slide discussing patient involvement and patient experience with the disease and technology.听
The company is also encouraged to present and discuss NHS implementation issues, if any.听
Timings, extra slides and providing information in advance
Additional听slides can be included as back-up slides (for example, results from early phase studies, relevant extracts from clinical guidelines or treatment pathways, selected bibliography).鈥��
The total number of slides should support a productive discussion during the meeting (typically a听3-hour meeting should not听contain听more than 24 slides).听
The company should send听NICE听and the MHRA听its slides听with the听agenda.听Use the format of Figure 1 to provide the list of听discussion areas.听A 10-minute break听should听be听factored into the meeting around the halfway point,听so the total amount of time听allocated听for discussion points will be听2听hours听20 minutes.
Figure 1 example meeting agenda
| Agenda item | Time |
| Welcome and introductions | XX:00 |
| Presentation by company | XX:10 |
| Discussion points (and time听allocated听to each): | 听 |
| Discussion point 1 | XX:XX |
| Discussion point 2 鈥� | XX:XX |
| Break (10mins) | 听 |
| Discussion point 鈥� 3 | XX:XX |
| Discussion point 4 | 听 |
| Meeting close | 听 |
Further information and how to get in touch
Further information
See detailed guidance on Integrated Scientific Advice
See supplementary information on the ISA service